"The Devil s Disciple" by Bernard Shaw. Examining the theme of good versus evil between the characters of Anthony Anderson and Dick Dudgeon . Essay - 1182 good Essay ...﻿Despite unnecessary changes to plot and some flawed character portrayals, Nicholas Hytner’s 1996 film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s 1953 play, The Crucible, is overall a viable adaptation of Miller’s original work. Many of the directorial changes made by Hytner in creating this screenplay are successful in further emphasising Miller’s central ideas. The characterisation of Abigail Williams is captured appropriately in the film displaying her overall manipulative nature by...

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Evil Veronical Joyner Capella University PHI 2000 I think that it is in all of us as humans to do right but, at the same time I think that we all can be evil and have been evil at some point and time in our lives whether it was intentional or unintentional. Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill had ideas about good and evil. They both had ideas about how to live your life with having morals.... 1450 Words | 4 Pages The Crucible ...anger , hate, and evil, yet feelings of manipulation, good, and pureness. It was the Crucible. A fireball of guilt, evil, and good compiled into one magnification. The Crucible: Good versus Evil. The play contained many scenarios of good versus evil, and the characters who generally possessed these feelings and intentions. But it must be... 1044 Words | 3 Pages Good Versus Evil Essay ...Analytical Essay Good versus Evil At first, it appears that the definitions of good and evil are straightforward.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, good is defined as “that which is morally right; righteousness”; evil is defined as “profoundly immoral and malevolent.” For centuries there has been an argument among many philosophers on the belief of “good... 1182 Words | 3 Pages Essay on George Bernard Shaw s "The Devil s Disciple" characters ...When we are first introduced to Richard Dudgeon, at the reading of his late father Timothy's will in his childhood home, we have already learned of his character from the opinions of three other characters: firstly, his mother, then from Anthony Anderson, the minister, and finally, from Anderson's wife Judith. None of these accounts are in Richard's favour, although Anthony Anderson is... 147 Words | 1 Pages Examining the Conflict of Good versus Evil in Young Goodman Brown Research Paper ...Examining the Conflict of Good versus Evil in Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story entitled Young Goodman Brown is about a man who takes his journey to the forest to attend a special congregation—without knowing its real purpose in his life.

Goodman Brown, the narrative’s protagonist believes that his faith is constant, true, and immovable, but as he takes his journey to the forest, readers realize that the main... 941 Words | 3 Pages Essay about Gunslinger Battle Between Good and Evil ...The dilemma between good and evil began long before our time, and it's been chronicled since man could write. Stephen King, one of the controversial writers of our time, brings his characters to life by giving them peculiar attributes, individual and bold attitudes, and places them in unusual predicaments. The Gunslinger series by Stephen King is a sequence of books that show the internal struggle between good... 1309 Words | 4 Pages The Devil's Disciple (1959) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The black sheep of a family and the local minister discover their true vocations during the Revolutionary War.

Directors: a list of 36 titles created 16 Oct 2011 a list of 43 titles created 28 Apr 2012 a list of 47 titles created 11 Feb 2014 a list of 40 titles created 07 Feb 2015 a list of 25 titles created 3 months ago Title: The Devil's Disciple (1959) 7.4/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. See more awards » Photos Frankie Madison leaves prison expecting a share from his ex-partner. But Prohibition bootlegging didn't prepare Frankie for Big Business. Director: Byron Haskin A former intelligence officer is tasked by the heir to the Gleneyre estate to investigate the unusual deaths of a disparate group of eleven men on a list. Director: John Huston United States military leaders plot to overthrow the President because he supports a nuclear disarmament treaty and they fear a Soviet sneak attack.

Director: John Frankenheimer Boxer Midge Kelly rises to fame...mainly by stepping on other people. Director: Mark Robson Lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Director: John Sturges The triumph and tragedy of Native American Jim Thorpe, who, after winning both the pentathlon and decathlon in the same Olympics, is stripped of his medals on a technicality. Director: Michael Curtiz Sgt. Mike Kincaid of the French Foreign Legion learns, from a Riff prisoner, that an attack will soon be made by the villainous Hussin on the Legion's outpost of Tarfa. Kincaid volunteers ... See full summary » Director: Willis Goldbeck Blake is in love with an aristocratic woman whose husband seriously injures him. Blake's friendship with Lord Nelson provides the basis for Blake's part in the growth of Lloyd's insurance ... See full summary » Director: Henry King A wagon train heads for Denver with a cargo of whisky for the miners. Chaos ensues as the Temperance League, the US cavalry, the miners and the local Indians all try to take control of the ...

See full summary » Director: John Sturges During WW2, industrialist Joe Keller commits a crime and frames his business partner Herbert Deever but years later his sin comes back to haunt him when Joe's son plans to marry Deever's daughter. Director: Irving Reis New York tourist Tony Curtis falls asleep on a Southern California beach on his first night in the West and wakes up to The New Phantasmagoria--catamarans, surfers (including a dog), ... See full summary » Director: Alexander Mackendrick A man abused by a sadistic mining company cop before he could tell where on their desert property he'd found diamonds decides to steal them instead. Director: William Dieterle Edit Storyline In a small New England town during the American War of Independence, Dick Dudgeon, a revolutionary American Puritan, is mistaken for local minister Rev. Anthony Anderson and arrested by the British. Dick discovers himself incapable of accusing another human to suffer and continues to masquerade as the reverend. The minister's wife, Judith, is moved by Dick's actions and mistakenly interprets them as an expression of love for her. In spite of his protestations she finds herself romantically attracted to him.

Brought before British commander General Burgoyne, Dudgeon displays his willingness to die for his principles. At the last minute Dick is saved from ministerial pursuits to become a revolutionary leader. Written by alfiehitchie 20 August 1959 (USA) See more » Also Known As: El discípulo del diablo See more » Filming Locations: Warner Brothers refused to loan Carroll Baker for the part of Judith Anderson. See more » Goofs Dudgeon crosses the ankles of his father's body. In a subsequent shot, the ankles are seen uncrossed and then crossed again as Dudgeon leaves. See more » Quotes Dick Dudgeon : [to Anderson] You know, I've never met a minister that doesn't ask you to dinner and give you a sermon.

traditional 18th Century Anglo-American folk song Heard under main title (warren michigan) – See all my reviews Oddly enough, very few good films have been made about The American revolution, and this is one of them.Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster put in very fine performances, with Lancaster acting against type as the priggish, self-righteous minister who transforms himself into a dashing, wickedly, hero, and Kirk Douglas as the sardonic, cynical, Satanic, selfish, and utterly delightful Dick Dudgeon, who transforms himself inot an altruistic, self sacrificing hero. Laurence Oliviers performance is little too langourous and flat, until he delivers the films great punch-line, "history will lie, as usual." Of course, it may be that the films sharp-eyed, toughly ironic view of the revolution has militated against it ever gaining the popularity it deserves 25 of 30 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Essay - 'The Devil's Disciple' by George Bernard Shaw - GCSE English - Marked by Teachers.com Essay - 'The Devil's Disciple' by George Bernard Shaw Extracts from this document...

Introduction Essay - 'The Devil's Disciple' by George Bernard Shaw In the melodrama The Devils Disciple by George Bernard Shaw, Judith Anderson is the only character that becomes a 'changed' person at the end of the play. At first glance, the two main characters Richard Dudgeon and Anthony Anderson seem to be the characters that undergo a character exchange. But as we study the play in greater detail, we are able to explore the significant changes Shaw has intentionally inflicted in Judith Anderson, to convey the theme of 'appearance and reality'. Perhaps it was Judith's identity as the Presbyterian minister of Springfield, Anthony Anderson's wife, that subconsciously pressured her to be the 'very polite' or even 'patronizing' character that she is. An example of the patron character that Shaw is trying to portray in Judith can be seen at the start of the play where Mrs Dudgeon, Richard's mother, is impatiently waiting for her husband's will to arrive. ...read more. Middle This therefore shows that this was simply an 'act', to gain acknowledgement and to fulfill her responsibilities as the minister's wife, instead of from her true motives.

This idea is further reinforced when Judith thinks herself as - "being a more thoughtful housekeeper than Mrs Dudgeon" As she - "Places a couple of chairs at the table with their backs to the window" Through these thoughts the audience is allowed to see the continuous 'appearance' Judith is trying to portray to the other characters. Contrastingly, towards the end of the melodrama, Shaw has enabled Judith to express her feelings and ideas fully and therefore revealing her true self and motives, without worrying about the responsibilities that she has as Anthony Anderson's wife. This change in Judith is presented at the third scene of the play where Richard Dudgeon, who is mistaken as Anthony Anderson, is being trailed in the court. ...read more. Conclusion This dramatic change in Judith can be further conveyed to the audience when she bribes the sergeant to let her stay to witness the last hours of Richard's life. - "Will you take these two silver dollars and let me stay?" This is completely opposite of the pure and holy Judith at the start of the play, as she learns to take her own choices, act by her motives and forget her responsibility as the wife of a minister.

Through different actions that Judith has made throughout the play, the audience is able to sense the clear idea of 'appearance and reality'. Shaw has used this character to clearly argue the theme of, 'what seems to be right might not be', fighting the social injustice at the time. This play has successfully contributed to altering the audiences' perception on political matters in their own society. ?? ?? ?? ?? Jacky Yeung English essay ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Richard III section. Found what you're looking for? Start learning 29% faster today 150,000+ documents available Reviews - The Devil's Disciple Reviews - The Devil's Disciple Reviewed by Joseph Hurley - December 1-7, 2004 The valiant and the brave Located on East 4th Street, between Avenues A and B, the tiny Metropolitan Playhouse is off the beaten theatrical track. If, however, the group's current production of George Bernard Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple" is any indication of the kind of work the Metropolitan people are capable of, the journey is well worth the effort.

The play, dating from 1897, is probably the closest Shaw ever came to writing a pure romantic comedy, except, perhaps, "Arms and the Man," which he had written three years earlier. It's also the only time, apart from the great titular epics, "Caesar and Cleopatra" and "Saint Joan," that the Dublin-born giant ever included in one of his plays an individual who had actually lived, in this case the aristocratic Gen. John Burgoyne, the disgraced commander of the British forces at the battle of Saratoga in October 1777. The role is played here with admirable grace and style by London-born actor George Taylor. "The Devil's Disciple" is part of a series of productions the Metropolitan Playhouse, an immaculate and inviting second-floor space with just 51 seats, terms its "Season of Heroes." The term is apt, since it would be difficult to find anywhere in the Shavian canon a purer example of self-sacrificing stage heroism than Richard Dudgeon, the rogue adventurer whose self-description gives the play its title.

Dudgeon, commonly known as "Dick," is the warm, affectionate heart of the play, here played with conspicuous wit, charm and intelligence by the dashing Alex Roe, the organization's artistic director since 2001. The Metropolitan's audiences sit on three sides of the snug auditorium, one flight up from the street. The performing space is a floor of stained wood planking, raised to the point where the spectators' eyes are at about the level of the handsome colonial-style belt buckles furnished by Rebecca Lustig's surprisingly elaborate costumes. Shaw has placed this brisk and surprisingly compassionate comedy in "Westerbridge town in the colony of New Hampshire," in 1777, the year that would prove to be such an unfortunate one for Burgoyne, known to his men as "Gentleman Johnny" because of his good breeding and perhaps his unmilitary sense of conviviality. Dick Dudgeon is, by all accounts, the scapegrace of a pious, even rigid New Hampshire family, a clan that appears to consider itself among the best, if not the outright finest, of families the New Hampshire Colony can boast.

The occasion for Dudgeon's return to the family home is the recent death of his father, leaving behind a widow, Annie Dudgeon (Laura Livingston), a young female child of questionable heritage, Essie Dudgeon (Shana Dowdeswell), and Dick's somewhat hapless younger brother, Christy Dudgeon (Michael Hardart). Eventually, there are a couple of uncles, Titus and William (Ian Gould and Nicholas Waterfall, respectively). The starchy Annie, who treats the innocent Essie as though she were some sort indentured slave, rules the home with an iron hand, and it is immediately clear that her relationship with Dick stands in need of significant improvement, an alteration that seems very unlikely to actually take place. Actually, the mother's death intervenes. The charming, free-living Dick describes himself as a "disciple of the devil," and doesn't seem much disturbed when no one in his family gives him an argument on the point. The only family member who seems to operate on his compassionate wavelength is, unsurprisingly, Essie.

The local parson, Anthony Anderson (Mike Durkin), may have been working against the colony's British masters, and it appears that his activities are about to be discovered, and that he is in mortal danger. His wife, Judith (Susannah Mackintosh), is considerably younger than her husband, and, for all her efforts to walk a straight and narrow path, she seems just a bit more than mildly intrigued by Dick Dudgeon when he appears on the scene. What the unstoppable Shaw may have had in mind when he laid his plans for "The Devil's Disciple" could have been a kind of lightweight variant of themes employed by Charles Dickens in "A Tale of Two Cities," in which a brave man goes to his death in place another individual, a valiant hero condemned to death for his political activities. But Shaw, after all, was essentially a comedian, and so Dick Dudgeon, nearly hanged in place of pastor Anderson, whose identity he has more or less accidentally assumed, gets a last-minute reprieve and lives to charm again.

"The Devil's Disciple" premiered in 1897 New York, which seems only fitting, since the play is the one occasion in which the Dublin-born titan wrote what might be thought of as an "American" play. Metropolitan Playhouse, working on a modest budget, has come up with a spirited and enjoyable revival. nytheatre.com Reviewed by Martin Denton - November 19, 2004 I've said this before: one of the unavoidable pitfalls of my job is that there are always fewer and fewer terrific classic plays left to discover. So when one pops up, I get very excited, which is undoubtedly one of the reasons why I am so high on the revival of The Devil's Disciple at Metropolitan Playhouse. It's a delight—all the more so because its script, by George Bernard Shaw, was unfamiliar to me. This is a play of the American Revolution, and although acts of war constitute the main action, the real subject is the revolution of ideas and intellect that happened as soon as John Hancock wrote his oversized signature across the bottom of the Declaration of Independence.

Shaw takes neither sides nor prisoners here, having British General Burgoyne quip Martyrdom, sir, is what these people like: it is the only way in which a man can become famous without ability. And an American minister named Anthony Anderson says Have your realized that though you may occupy towns and win battles, you cannot conquer a nation? It's good to hear all this intelligent chatter; it feels somehow timely, no? It's useful to ponder the play's central dilemma as well, which is how to reconcile the points of a view of, on the one hand, a man of religion and pragmatism who values action, and on the other, a romantic idealist who thinks he can become a hero by believing in something—but is proved to be a fool and a coward, if a notably likable one. The fool is the title character, a fellow called Richard Dudgeon. When we first meet him, he has come to claim his late father's estate from a brazenly pious mother who dislikes and misunderstands him and a younger brother (Christy) who is a bit of a halfwit. Dick cuts a dashing and dangerous figure, particularly in contrast to the rest of his family.

His uncle, the family's previous black sheep, has just been hanged as a rabble rouser by the Redcoats in a nearby town, and Dick fears that someone in this community will also be made an example of by the oncoming British. He correctly predicts that it will be the town's minister, the aforementioned Anderson; and when the soldiers arrive, Dick bravely pretends that he is Anderson, to the great shock and then admiration of the minister's lovely young wife, Judith. Shaw brilliantly balances comedy with more sober concerns, giving Dick a superb foil in the suave, cynical General Burgoyne, a man who refuses to take anything seriously—he's like having Captain Shotover (from Heartbreak House) as Secretary of Defense. Shaw also inserts a thoroughly hilarious scene in which the witness secured to confirm or deny Dick's assertion that he is Anderson turns out to be the duller Dudgeon, Christy, who isn't at all sure what to make of his brother's charade.

(Michael Hardart, who plays Christy, makes the most of this segment's significant comic opportunities.) Metropolitan Playhouse, which is known for revivals of American plays of the same vintage as The Devil's Disciple, does well by the play. Director Yvonne Conybeare keeps things moving briskly, and keeps all of Shaw's balloons—the romantic one, the sly, cynical one, and the serious, intellectual one—continually afloat. A simple, congenial set by Ryan Scott serves the piece nicely, as do Rebecca Lustig's period costumes and Douglas Filomena's appropriate lighting. There are two superb central performances here. Alex Roe, Metropolitan's artistic director, takes the stage for the first time in several years as the engaging rebel Dick Dudgeon; one hopes he will tread the boards more frequently, for he is commanding and fascinating as this complicated character, a more-than-convincing romantic lead and a just-as-believable rascally rogue.

George Taylor, who has an impressively distinguished acting resume, takes the role of Burgoyne, and delivers a performance of delicious wit and depth; he doesn't just get the timing of the General's quips right—he shows us the worldly man of experience underneath. The other actors are fine also: I've already mentioned Hardart as Christy Dudgeon; also noteworthy are Mike Durkin as Reverend Anderson, Susannah Mackintosh as his wife Judith, and Ian Gould as Burgoyne's second-in-command Major Swindon. The Devil's Disciple - A Play in Three Acts - 9M 3F - Shaw, George Bernard The Devil's Disciple - A Play in Three Acts - 9M 3F - Shaw, George Bernard Penguin Books Inc (1965) From Wikipedia: Act I Richard "Dick" Dudgeon is an outcast from his family in colonial New Hampshire. He returns their hatred with scorn. After the death of his father, Dick returns to his childhood home to hear the reading of his father's will, much to his family's dismay.

Anthony Anderson, the local minister, treats him with courtesy despite Dick's self-proclaimed apostasy, but Dick's "wickedness" appalls Anderson's wife Judith. To everyone's surprise, it is revealed that Dick's father secretly changed his will just before he died, leaving the bulk of his estate to Dick. Dick promptly evicts his mother from her home, but also invites his orphaned cousin to stay as long as she wants. At the end of the Act, Dick proclaims himself a rebel against the British and scorns his family as cowards when they flee his home. [edit]Act II While visiting Anderson's home at the Reverend's invitation, Dick is left alone with Judith while Anderson is called out to Mrs. Dudgeon's deathbed. Perceiving Judith's distaste for him, Dick attempts to leave, but Judith insists he stay until Anderson returns. While waiting, British soldiers enter Anderson's home and arrest Dick, mistaking him for Anderson. Dick allows them to take him away without revealing his actual identity. He swears Judith to secrecy lest her husband give the secret away and expose himself to arrest. Anderson returns and finds his wife in a state of great agitation. He demands to know if Dick has harmed her.

Breaking her promise to Dick, Judith reveals that soldiers came to arrest Anderson but Dick went in his place. Anderson is stunned. He grabs all his money and a gun and quickly rides away, ignoring Judith's appeals. Judith believes her husband to be a coward, while Dick, whom she despised, is a hero. [edit]Act III Judith visits Dick and asks him if he has acted from love. He gently explains that he does not love her, but has acted out of an unexpected decency. During the military trial, Dick is convicted and sentenced to be hanged. This scene introduces General Burgoyne, a Shavian realist, who contributes a number of sharp remarks about the conduct of the American Revolution. Judith interrupts the proceedings to reveal Dick's true identity – but to no avail: he will be hanged in any case. News reaches Burgoyne that American rebels have taken a nearby town, so he and his troops are in danger, especially since orders from London that would have sent reinforcements were never dispatched. The rebels will send a man to negotiate with the British. The final scene of the play is the public square where Dick will be hanged.

Like Sydney Carton in Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, Dick prepares to meet his death. At the last minute, Burgoyne stops the hanging because the rebel has arrived. It is Anthony Anderson, who has become a man of action in an instant, just as Dick became a man of conscience in an instant. Anderson bargains for Dick's life, and Burgoyne agrees to free him. As the Americans rejoice, the British go away, knowing that they face certain defeat. Product Details The Devil's Disciple Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 36 out of 36 people found the following review useful: Maybe THIS was the original "buddy movie" from San Francisco, CA USA 20 November 2001 Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas shared a chemistry -- offscreen as well as on screen -- which was rare even by Hollywood standards. There's a legend about them, as a matter of fact (and I'd hate to think it apocryphal), that -- at the onset of each of the many films in which they co-starred -- they flipped a coin to see who would play which role.

In their film adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple," the coin-flip would have been at best symbolic -- or perhaps ironic is the term here -- inasmuch as the plotline concerns role reversals and identity switching. Set during the closing days of the American revolution, Dick Dudgeon, the town rakehell (Douglas), having previously admitted to Reverend Anderson, the local minister (Lancaster), "Pastor, there's something about you I respect, and that makes me want you for my enemy," allows himself to be mistakenly arrested as that minister by British troops. It's an act which even he, at the time, is at a loss to explain. While Dudgeon keeps the local British commandant, General Burgoyne (Laurence Olivier in what turns out to be one of his finer screen performances), alternately amused and bemused, Reverend Anderson discovers within himself a call to action as he rallies the rebel troops to rescue Dudgeon and to cut off Burgoyne's reinforcements.

Purists may note that the film adaptation tampers with Shaw's more typically cynical resolution in the original stage presentation (yes, it is much more 'upbeat' and true to the Hollywood dicta of the day) . . . and yet the Shavian quality of the dialogue between Dudgeon and Anderson -- not to mention the barbed repartee between Dudgeon and Burgoyne -- is preserved virtually intact here. It is also brilliantly rendered by all parties. Although Douglas manages to 'steal' much of this film, Lancaster affords us more than a glimpse of the ability which will, in little more than another year, garner him an Oscar -- for 'Elmer Gantry'-- (and put an end to the yearly ritual of his and Douglas' comedic "It's So Great Not To Be Nominated" performance at the awards ceremonies). One of Hollywood's more successful adaptations of a stage play, this is also a film which, more than most, stands the test of time. Was the above review useful to you? 22 out of 23 people found the following review useful: Better than just good ! from Williamsburg, VA.

2 April 2004 It has been years since I've actually seen the movie and was disappointed that it can't presently be found on DVD. Yet, while fiction, it is a tight, well acted piece of near dark comedy placed in a revolutionary war setting. Lancaster's portrayal is akin to his as the somewhat self-righteous Wyatt Earp in O.K. Corral. Probably the wittiest scene is played between the prisoner Douglas and Sir Laurence (Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne) as a straight man with a bit of a twinkle in the eye. First with Olivier near whining to Kirk how he'd think better of him if he only knew how much he'd paid for his commission - a common practice in German George's British army. Convicted and scheduled to hang, Douglas demands a soldier's firing squad only to talked out of it by Gen'l. Burgoyne decrying - with wry historical accuracy, the woeful state of marksmanship of the average Red Coat then serving in the Colonies.

"Well then, by all means hang me !" Delightful, well paced, funny, and even a tad dramatic with Burt, like Disney's Lambert the Bashful Lion, finally roaring to the height of minuteman steel in the final scenes. Was the above review useful to you? 25 out of 30 people found the following review useful: Overlooked , underrated gem from warren michigan 10 July 2000 Oddly enough, very few good films have been made about The American revolution, and this is one of them.Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster put in very fine performances, with Lancaster acting against type as the priggish, self-righteous minister who transforms himself into a dashing, wickedly, hero, and Kirk Douglas as the sardonic, cynical, Satanic, selfish, and utterly delightful Dick Dudgeon, who transforms himself inot an altruistic, self sacrificing hero.

Laurence Oliviers performance is little too langourous and flat, until he delivers the films great punch-line, "history will lie, as usual." Of course, it may be that the films sharp-eyed, toughly ironic view of the revolution has militated against it ever gaining the popularity it deserves Was the above review useful to you? 23 out of 27 people found the following review useful: "Gentleman Johnny" Gets the Best Lines from United States 30 April 2004 There is little point denying that the greatest dramatist in England in the 20th Century was George Bernard Shaw. He was a great wit, and he had a view of society that he felt needed expressing in one play after another. But there was something irritating about him that has prevented him from overtaking Shakespeare in drama writing: His desire to give his views on this societal problem or that one led to polemics taking over his writings, so that the plays, even when good, can be uneven. He also displayed a monstrous ego at times that did not deserve to be admired or applauded by the public for most of his ninety three or four years.

In 1897 he had only a handful of plays that had been produced to show his talents: WIDOWERS HOUSE and MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION were the best of these, and the second had been banned by the Lord Chamberlain's office for treating the subject of prostitution as a business. He decided to do a play with one of London's leading actor managers of the time: Mr. William Terris. But while negotiating with Terris to appear in this play. a madman stabbed Terris to death. Looking around for another actor, Shaw contacted Mr. Richard Mansfield, thus beginning a brief business relationship with that stage star. Mansfield produced THE DEVIL'S DESCIPLE in America, where it was a big success (Mansfield also played Dick Dudgeon). Shaw was looking at good and evil in the play, with Dudgeon being an anti-religious type who was cynical. But Dudgeon demonstrates a sense of right and wrong and compassion that is missing from the other characters in the play, making the title very ironic - Dick may boast of worshiping the Devil, but he never hurts anyone.

In the play, because of his fast life style, the local Puritanical townspeople (especially his mother) disapprove of him, and all but ostracize him. Then his father's will is read, and they realize he is rich (and the other heirs, especially his mother are poor). Since they are hypocrites, the lucky break for Dick makes them even more vicious toward him (his mother cursing him before she dies). So far so good for Shaw. As I said, the play begins well, and continues fine - introducing high comedy when General Burgoyne appears. Burgoyne was a dramatist too, so Shaw liked him. And here the play (and movie's) problems begin to be felt. Shaw was writing the play in a period that the Whig historians, like George Otto Trevelyan, wrote the history of the American Revolution. Trevelyan's books became best sellers, and were well researched. But he wrote of the Revolution as the backdrop of English Revolutionary spirit as well. To Trevelyan, the English lost the war due to the ineptitude of the Tory regime of Lord North.

One example of this was the story of how General Burgoyne's brilliant plan to split the northern colonies in half and conquer both halves one at a time was ruined when the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord George Germain, failed to send vital plans to General Sir William Howe to link his men with Burgoyne. Instead, Sir William headed for Philadelphia, which he occupied, and heard nothing about Burgoyne until the latter surrendered in October 1777. The play builds up to a comic misunderstanding between the British and Dudgeon, whom they arrest thinking he is the Reverend - Dick was alone with the wife of the Reverend at the time, and assumes the latter's personality because he does not want a scandal to break out. Soon the Reverend (who supports the Revolution) faces a court martial, with the whimsical Gentleman Johnny asking questions. Although the result is a foregone conclusion, (the British have already hanged Dick's father as the movie begins), Burgoyne is annoyed to discover after the verdict is about to be given that Dick is not the Reverend.

This is all in the film, and it still works, especially with Olivier's perfect performance as the British general, who is facing defeat but won't lose his cool about it. But Shaw's source, George Otto Treveylan, is no longer supported by students of history - he is regarded as a Whig who ignored the many errors of his own party, to concentrate on the failures of Lord North and his Tories. One mistake is the story of Lord George Germain's failure to send Sir William Howe his plans, because Lord George felt he had to go on his personal vacation to the country, and would not wait to send out those vital plans. It is not true, after all. Lord George did send Sir William the plans, but Howe ignored them, going out to capture Philadelphia instead. "History will lie as usual" says Burgoyne to Major Swindon. Ironically, Shaw pushed the lie as truth himself. Now everyone who sees the play or film believes that Lord George Germain's vacation plans lost the Revolution. Not really. The forests of upper New York State, the lack of good roads, the immense supply train played vital, the vigor of Benedict Arnold as an American general led to Burgoyne's surrender.

But that was not as amusing as Lord George Germain's "failure" to send the vital plans. One recalls the end of John Ford's LIBERTY VALANCE: When given a chance to print the truth of the legend, print the legend! Was the above review useful to you? 19 out of 20 people found the following review useful: "The British Soldier Can Stand up to anything, except the British War Office." 9 December 2005 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, both players who chose rather successfully to chart their own careers, decided on their third co-starring film to jointly produce it as well. The property chosen was George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple which takes place in the northern theater of operations in the American Revolution. Shaw's wit is going full tilt here as he's having a great old time blasting upper and middle class pretensions of British society. The vehicle he uses is General John Burgoyne who lost the Battle of Saratoga to the rebel army which guaranteed French recognition and European aid for the colonists.

Both Lancaster as Parson Anthony Anderson and Kirk Douglas as committed non-believer Dick Dudgeon play larger than life characters here as they usually do and both have their moments. But in fact this film is stolen completely out from under them by Sir Laurence Olivier as General Burgoyne. As a previous reviewer noted, Shaw wrote the best lines in the play for the Burgoyne character. But it takes the skill of a player like Olivier to bring them off. Burgoyne was very much a product of Georgian Great Britain, a cynical man in a very cynical business. By the way Harry Andrews as Major Swinton does an excellent job essentially as Burgoyne's straight man. Andrews is a pompous sort of character and Olivier tosses the bon mots off him like a handball player. The story involves Dudgeon being mistaken for Anderson and being sentenced to hang for rebel activity. Anderson arouses the populace and sheds his parson's collar for rebel activity and saves Dudgeon from the noose. Burgoyne quits the town he was occupying and goes off to his destiny at Saratoga. But in this case as in a lot of Shaw plays, the story isn't as important as the commentary.

And when the commentary is delivered by Olivier, it's being brought to you by the best. Was the above review useful to you? 13 out of 14 people found the following review useful: Maybe THIS was the original "buddy movie" from San Francisco, CA USA 20 November 2001 Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas shared a chemistry -- offscreen as well as on screen -- which was rare even by Hollywood standards. There's a legend about them, as a matter of fact (and I'd hate to think it apocryphal), that -- at the onset of each of the many films in which they co-starred -- they flipped a coin to see who would play which role. In their film adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple," the coin-flip would have been at best symbolic -- or perhaps ironic is the term here -- inasmuch as the plotline concerns role reversals and identity switching.

Set during the closing days of the American revolution, Dick Dudgeon, the town rakehell (Douglas), having previously admitted to Reverend Anderson, the local minister (Lancaster), "Pastor, there's something about you I respect, and that makes me want you for my enemy," allows himself to be mistakenly arrested as that minister by British troops. It's an act which even he, at the time, is at a loss to explain. While Dudgeon keeps the local British commandant, General Burgoyne (Laurence Olivier in what turns out to be one of his finer screen performances), alternately amused and bemused, Reverend Anderson discovers within himself a call to action as he rallies the rebel troops to rescue Dudgeon and to cut off Burgoyne's reinforcements. Purists may note that the film adaptation tampers with Shaw's more typically cynical resolution in the original stage presentation (yes, it is much more 'upbeat' and true to the Hollywood dicta of the day) . . . and yet the Shavian quality of the dialogue between Dudgeon and Anderson -- not to mention the barbed repartee between Dudgeon and Burgoyne -- is preserved virtually intact here.

It is also brilliantly rendered by all parties. Although Douglas manages to 'steal' much of this film, Lancaster affords us more than a glimpse of the ability which will, in little more than another year, garner him an Oscar -- for 'Elmer Gantry'-- (and put an end to the yearly ritual of his and Douglas' comedic "It's So Great Not To Be Nominated" performance at the awards ceremonies). One of Hollywood's more successful adaptations of a stage play, this is also a film which, more than most, stands the test of time. Was the above review useful to you? 14 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Today's film makers might learn a thing or two from this one. from Cincinnati, OH 3 May 2004 Lancaster and Douglas had a rare and unique Hollywood relationship. Though they could easily have been rivals (and in some ways were), they formed a sort of onscreen "buddy team", working together many times and using their own traits of one-upmanship to lift various projects to a high level of achievement. Their competitiveness, paired with their mutual respect, led to some memorable movies.

This is a lesser-known effort of theirs, but is, by no means, an inferior one. Lancaster is a gentle Revolutionary War-era minister, married to the lovely, but puritanical Scott. When the war reaches a fever pitch and local townsfolk begin to hang from the gallows, a roguish prodigal son (Douglas) returns to stir things up. Douglas and Lancaster form an uneasy alliance with each other until Douglas is arrested, mistaken for Lancaster who has buried a "rebel" without permission. The commanding British officer is Olivier, who knows that the war is hopeless, but continues to play it out with a sort of bemused detachment. Though the film contains a fair amount of action, it is really a witty, clever parade of words and thoughts (based on a George Bernard Shaw play) shedding a humorous and ironic light on a page in U.S. history. Lancaster is mellow for much of the film, but effective (and tan! The audience gets to see his muscular back in the film, though Scott is too demure to look upon it herself!) Douglas starts off VERY big, with distractingly dark and satanically groomed eyebrows.

Fortunately, he overcomes this gimmick and turns in a solid performance. Olivier is very good, but doesn't really take the reigns of his role to the highest level (and has limited screen time in any case.) Andrews gives a very nice supporting turn as his exasperated right-hand man. Scott does some of her best work as the straight-laced bride who can't help but find herself drawn to the rough-hewn charms of Douglas, though the very idea tortures her. Her best moment comes when Douglas asks her to kiss him and she exclaims, "I can't!" (yet immediately thrusts herself onto him for a lengthy smooch!) As history, the film is dubious at best (and even recognizes this itself!), but, at a tight 83 minutes, it's a delightful diversion featuring a great combination of actors and stars. It doesn't overstay its welcome and has a light touch throughout. (Oh, and check out the stop-motion figures that show up during the voice-over narration! What a hoot!) Was the above review useful to you? 15 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Sparking fun from Mountain View, Ca.

20 July 1999 Sparkling adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's witty play set in American's revolutionary war. It has everything; a wonderful script (most of Shaw's play is let be), lively direction, and a top-notch cast. Kirk Douglas gives his lightest and most charming performance as the self-professed Devil's Disciple, there's no trace of the usual heavy-handed ham, he completely steals the film. Burt Lancaster doesn't have as much to work with in the part of a virtuous minister, but he does what he can and I consider a man who looks that great to be above criticism. The only disappointment is Laurence Olivier as General Burgoyne. Olivier castigated himself in his autobiography for botching one of Shaw's most hilarious roles, his personal griefs were overwhelming him at the time. He's nervous and unfocused, line after wonderful line falls flat. (He returned to form shortly after in "Spartacus" and "The Entertainer") So, this isn't just a fun film that can be enjoyed by any level of sophistication, it's something every film buff has to see... A movie where Kirk Douglas acts rings around Laurence Olivier!!!

Surely the stars must have fallen out of the sky in pure shock! Was the above review useful to you? 8 out of 11 people found the following review useful: The best movie you've probably never seen 9 February 2006 *** This review may contain spoilers *** This is a terrific film. The cast is great, Sir Laurence Olivier's Gentlemanly Johnny Burgoyne is the perfect balance of dreamer, cynic and realist, Burt Lancaster is exceptional as the minister who finds another calling as a patriot, Kirk Douglas is Dick Dudgeon, "devil's disciple", who is probably more righteous than the hypocrites who condemn him for his lifestyle, Janette Scott is the preacher's upright and uptight wife who discovers a less than spiritual side of herself when Dick unselfishly takes her husband's place as a British prisoner soon to be hanged. Harry Andrews rounds out the headliners as the bloodthirsty and officious Major Swindon, who wants to hang seemingly everyone who crosses his path, while reciting platitudes that would make a super-patriot blush. The film starts with the hanging of Dick's father.

His brothers and other relatives are scared out of their wits and take the cowardly way out, seeming to ignore the fact. Ne'er do well Dick, however risks his life and brings his father back to the church for a Christian burial. He and Anthony Anderson, the minister engage in a witty chat over Dad's body that evening. The reverend gives Dad a send-off, but the British arrive in town and see the new grave. Dad leaves almost everything to Dick, with a small bequest to Dick's younger brother, excluding their mother. Mom leaves the house in a huff, cursing her son. Rev Anderson is told by Dick's squeeze that the British have seen the grave and are going to arrest Dick. The Rev goes to tell him and brings him home to the rectory, when he receives word that Mrs Dudgeon is dying and needs him (the minister). Anthony leaves Dick with his wife, and then comes a hilarious scene as the uncomfortable and contemptuous Judith makes him feel as unwanted as possible while still keeping up Christian hospitality. Sure enough, the soldiers come and arrest Dick believing he's the reverend. Dick's farewell to his "wife" ends in a steamy kiss and embrace.

Judith races to her husband, and in another riotous scene tells him Dick has been arrested in his place. Rev,"Confound Richard. He's given me a debt I can't repay". But the minister takes off in an effort to get the local patriots to help free Dick, but as the narrator relates, they're too busy trying to kill their enemies to save one of their friends. Anthony winds up in the middle of a battle and turns the tide for the Americans. While this is happening, Dick is put on a completely impartial trial, while gallows are constructed outside. More witty exchanges ensue between Dick, Burgoyne and Swindon before Judith tries to save him by telling the British that he's not her husband. It doesn't work and they schedule the hanging. Anthony rides up just in the nick of time and in a new outfit of buckskin, to present terms to Burgoyne and negotiates Dick's release. Judith must choose between her crush on Dick and her newly revived love for her newly remodeled man of action husband. General Burgoyne tells Major Swindon that soon their army will face unfavorable odds and lose. This movie has everything, fine acting, satire, romance, action, slapstick and philosophy.

The only thing is, it's too bad it wasn't made in color to see the uniforms and scenery. Was the above review useful to you? 3 out of 3 people found the following review useful: Olivier Flat in "Devil's Disciple"? from Albuquerque, NM 15 November 2014 This is in answer to otter_c, who wrote: "The only disappointment is Laurence Olivier as General Burgoyne. Olivier castigated himself in his autobiography for botching one of Shaw's most hilarious roles, his personal griefs were overwhelming him at the time. He's nervous and unfocused, line after wonderful line falls flat. (He returned to form shortly after in "Spartacus" and "The Entertainer")" All due respect to both you and Sir Lawrence, but I think this is an instance where his self-appraisal is a little off-target.

I've always enjoyed this performance as a very excellent portrait of a thinking man and wit under a great deal of pressure, with no idea that Olivier did not care for it -- thing is, Burgoyne IS distracted; he has more important fish to fry than this petty punitive hanging, and even before he gets the news about Howe he is deeply concerned for the continued viability of his command: He tosses off his bon mots as the after-thoughts of the kind of intellect who could actually write plays when he wasn't under siege in an unpopular war in unfriendly country. And I find that makes them and Burgoyne funnier than, say, Ian Richardson's total self- awareness in the '87 BBC production. Olivier liked to be In Control when he worked; and in some of the roles in which I do not much care for him I feel it makes him artificial and excessively mannered.

So naturally, a performance given when he was overwhelmed with grief is gonna rankle the perfectionist in him; but since he was preoccupied with other, more important (to him) matters it put him willy-nilly square in the same frame of mind as I gauge Gentlemanly Johnny to have been in as disaster loomed, I feel it really helps make the performance live in a way the studied Olivier technique might not have come within yards of. The two men -- the actor and the general he portrays -- are up against it, but instinct pulls each through even if more distractedly than if under less severe constraints; there is still enough of the essence of each to make a credible showing. The artist is not always the best critic of his own work; and Olivier's General Burgoyne is excellent work whether the actor knew what he was doing or not. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 4: Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey stages George Bernard Shaw's 'Devil's Disciple' | NJ.com Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey stages George Bernard Shaw's 'Devil's Disciple' James Knight,as Richard Dudgeon, bids farewell to Judith Anderson (Elizabeth A.

Davis) in the jailhouse in the New Jersey Shakespeare Theatre production of George Bernard Shaw's "The Devil's Disciple."Jerry Dalia The Irish-born playwright George Bernard Shaw once wrote: “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” The leading characters of Shaw’s eighth play, “The Devil’s Disciple,” opening officially at F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison tomorrow night after having played previews since Wednesday, are people who change not only their minds but also their outlooks and philosophies of life. With this production, the season’s second, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey celebrates not only its annual Fourth of July commemoration of the founding of America but the 350th anniversary of New Jersey’s charter. Shaw’s play, first produced in both Britain and America in 1897, is set in Colonial America in 1777 during the Saratoga Campaign and lists among its characters the famous British general, “Gentlemen Johnny” Burgoyne, who’s leading a British force from Canada in an attempt to split the New England states from the other colonies in revolt.

His path takes him through Websterbridge, N.H., where he encounters the trio of diverse characters who are the play’s leads, all of whom go through major changes having less to do with the Revolutionary War than with what director Paul Mullins considers the play’s major theme: People do not know what they will do in certain situations until those situations smack them the face. Those three characters are the town’s minister, Anthony Anderson (played by Paul Niebanck); his recent bride, Judith (Elizabeth A. Davis); and Richard “Dick” Dudgeon (James Knight), the title character and the town’s most hated and scorned former resident. Dudgeon has returned to claim his father’s estate, evict his elderly mother from the family home and invite his uncle’s illegitimate daughter to live as mistress of that disputed house. “For the town’s citizens, the prospect of a war between the British and the colonists raises pressing issues,” director Mullins says, “and Dick Dudgeon is a very realistic man. It isn’t just a matter of which side to be on. He raises the possibility of martial law. Would that mean that the law, which has been both a protector and a recourse, would cease to exist?

What would like be life with no law? When war is happening in front of you, where do you take your stand?” Mullins, who’s in his 23rd season with the company and will direct Shakespeare’s rarely seen “Henry VIII” later in the season, believes Shaw uses the Revolutionary War more as a backdrop to universal human questions, and, as in many of Shaw’s plays, he tempers consideration of serious issues with comic relief. In the play’s first half, the comic relief is the charm of a recently married couple getting to know each other and feeling their way to conducting their day-to-day life. In the second half, it’s the more worldly and caustic wit of the British, especially Burgoyne. “He’s been through it all,” Mullins says. “He’s an old hand at war and its horrors and knows that it isn’t just marching and glory. In the hands of an experienced veteran actor like Edmond Genest, who is in his 19th season with the company, Burgoyne is revealed as a truly fascinating character.” For Niebanck, the character of Rev.

Anderson, who’s older than his recent bride and, at first, takes a protective, perhaps overly protective, attitude towards her, is unlike some of his fellow villagers who turn their righteous backs on Dudgeon. “Anderson’s a great believer in redemption. Even a villain like Dudgeon can be saved,” Niebanck says, “so when Dudgeon comes to his home for a visit, he leaves the supposed villain alone with Judith, who is, at first, frightened and disdainful of him. And when Dudgeon is taken prisoner by the British because they mistake him for Anderson, Anderson’s frightened actions show his wife a side of his character she didn’t think he had. It’s cowardice that Anderson will allow Dudgeon to take his place in the hands of their enemy. When he tries to flee, she’s convinced he’s a coward, not a man of honor. “Anderson talks a good game, but when push comes to shove, he isn’t a pillar of virtue and shows that he was hypocritical to take his superior attitudes,” Niebanck adds. “His fear outweighs his principles.

If he has no honor, his wife believes, he is unworthy of love and respect and that the man everyone despised is a something of a hero for standing in for her husband. She’s outraged that her husband will not rectify their mistake.” In the play’s final scene, however, Anderson becomes a man of action to redeem himself, and even questions his right to be a minister. He says the supposedly evil Dudgeon, because he has principals and has stood by them, is more suited to the role of a moral leader. He ironically suggests that Dudgeon should continue to be the town’s minister since he has displayed more honor than Anderson could muster. “They have all learned something important,” says Niebanck, “and they won’t be tomorrow the people they were yesterday.” “The Devil’s Disciple” When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, through July 20 Where: F.M.

Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, Drew University campus, 36 Madison Ave., Madison Admission: $35-$75; student rush tickets $15, if available, 30 minutes before each performance; (973) 408-5600 or shakespearenj.org Most Read

Question: Dick Dudgeon and Reverend Anthony Anderson are characters in which play by George Bernard Shaw?
Answer: THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE